Blanket Flower (Gaillardia Grandiflora) – Grow and Care

Want a long-blooming perennial flower that has bright yellow-orange-red flowers and attracts pollinators? Would you like it to bloom nearly all season long? Then look no further than Indian Blanket, Gaillardia grandiflora. This is a native plant hybrid is what you need to have beautiful red/yellow colors all summer long.

Blanket Flower is beautiful and blooms nearly the entire season, but it will self seed. However, this is a small problem since the roots are quite shallow and volunteer seedlings are easy to pull out.

Physical Description – Blanket Flower

The overall plant is 1-2′ tall (30-60 cm) by 1/2 as wide in diameter, and generally behaves itself by not crowding out other plants (if given 1-2′ spacing). Multiple stalks will come from a central clump producing numerous blooms. Blanket Flower is a showy plant.

Stalk / Stem

The stalks are erect and have small hairs. Stalks are light green to white-green in color. They will branch multiple times, producing a full and pretty specimen if given proper growing conditions.

Leaves

Leaves are long, slender, and rounded at the ends. They have smooth edges and small hairs. The texture is smooth, but it will have a satin finish. Most leaves come from the base of the plant. But, stalks will also have some leaves.

Flower

At the end of stalks (and branches) there will be individual blooms. Each flower is 1-2″ diameter (2-5 cm). The flowers are similar to a daisy, and have ray and disc flowers on the bloom. Petals are primarily red, with an outer ring of yellow.

After blooming the flower head will turn brown/white, and dry out. Numerous seeds are in the center, and can easily be pulled out. The seeds resemble bad-mitten birdies. This plant will self-seed, sometimes profusely.

Root

Roots are shallow on this plant. It is easily pulled out if one does not want it, or want its volunteers.

Blanket Flower, Quick Reference Table

Perennial Blanket Flower – Reference Guide

Common Name

Indian Blanket, Firewheel, Blanket Flower

Scientific name

GaillardiaGrandiflora

Bloom Time

Early Summer until Fall

Bloom Duration

3-5 months depending on zone

Color

Yellow/Red/Orange

Bloom Size

1 -2” diameter flowers (25-50 mm)

Characteristics

Individual blooms at the top of stalks, sometimes more than one bloom per stalk. Multiple stalks per plant – very showy

Height

1 -2’ tall (30-60 cm)

Spacing/Spread

1’ (30 cm)

Light Requirements

Full sun to partial shade

Soil Types

Any

Moisture

Dry to medium moisture

Maintenance

None required, except pulling any unwanted seedlings

Typical Use

Flower beds, meadows, micro-prairires

Fauna Associations

Bees/Butterflies/Moths

Larval Host

None

Sowing Depth

Surface – just press into soil

Stratification

30 days cold stratification can improve germination. But takes a long time to sprout (20-60 days, roughly)

Native Range

USDA Zones 4-9

Notes

Growing Conditions

This plant needs full sun to thrive, and medium-dry moisture. The soil should be well drained to avoid any root rot or root fungus. If you are planting in clay, consider amending the bottom of the hole with a decent amount of compost, as the organic matter will allow for better drainage.

How to care for

If you plant this in full sun and dry(ish) conditions, virtually no care will be required. Do not over fertilize though, as the stalks can grow too fast and become week. This plant generally doesn’t need any fertilizer.

Maintenance

Each Spring you will probably have to pull unwanted seedlings if in a perennial flower bed, or one that is well manicured.

How to Grow Blanket Flower from seed

Blanket Flower seeds will have a higher germination rate if planted in early Spring, which will provide some cold/moist stratification. You just need to press the seeds into the soil to ensure good contact, and keep moist. Do not bury the seed, just press it firmly into the seed bed (if direct sowing) or the pot.

Keep the seed moist, but not wet. It could take anywhere from 2 weeks to a few months to germinate, hence it is best to plant in early Spring as seeds don’t dry out so much during the cooler temperatures.

Seeds and Bloom of the Blanket Flower

Garden Uses for Blanket Flower

This flower makes a great addition to any flower bed, meadow, border, or even in a pot! It is low maintenance and very showy. Blanket Flower’s compact size makes it very versatile in full sun areas, as it can be right in front of larger flowers. Also, Blanket Flower makes great cut flowers that will produce from roughly June through September.

We have several specimens in our backyard Micro-Prairie. It is nice because most of our little backyard wildflower area is perennial, so they only bloom for a few weeks in the year. But the Blanket Flower blooms for several months! So we get color for months because of this!

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